Seattle/Compare
Interbay vs University District
Interbay and University District are two official districts in Seattle. Interbay is the calmer Part I map (68 vs 37). University District wins the errand count. University District has the lower ACS median ($1,781).
Data vintage. ACS 2024 5-year · SPD Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · OSM Sep 2026 · updated Sep 2026
Scores
Fit axes among official Seattle Neighborhood Map Atlas districts.
| Axis | Interbay | University District |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 68 | 37 |
| Schools | 42 | 48 |
| Walk | 10 | 31 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 10 | 28 |
| Median rent | $2,193 | $1,781 |
| Median home | $822,704 | $1,016,152 |
| Population | 8,922 | 31,358 |
| Commute to Downtown | 14 min | 18 min |
| Commute to South Lake Union | 16 min | 14 min |
| Commute to University | 24 min | 6 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Interbay | University District |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 71% | 90% |
| Median age | 34.7 | 23 |
| Median income | $131K | $52K |
| Part I per 1k | 29.7 | 51.5 |
| Groceries / 800m | 7 | 18 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 39 | 111 |
| Parks / 800m | 55 | 43 |
| 311 last 14 days | 132 | 497 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Seattle city. Up 79% since 2014. Interbay is 8% above the 2024 city median. U District is 12% below the 2024 city median.
Overlapping 5-year ACS windows (B25064), not asking rent. Census does not publish a rent series for each official neighborhood, so the line is the city place. Dashed marks are each area’s ACS 2024 median.
Which to pick
The same numbers as the table, in sentences. Nobody wins the city.
Pick Interbay if the quieter map matters more than the scene. Safety is 68 vs 37. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick University District if you want the errands on foot and you want the cafes and the night. Walk is 31 vs 10. Vibe is 28 vs 10. ACS median rent is $1,781 vs $2,193. Read both pages before you decide.
Interbay
The cut between Magnolia and Queen Anne. Tracks, yards, a driving range, and a few apartment stacks. You live here for the commute, not the block party.
$2,193 median rent · safety 68 · walk 10
University District
The Ave, the campus, and a median income that student households pull down. Light rail now. It is a neighborhood you age out of, or a neighborhood you never leave because of the bus.
$1,781 median rent · safety 37 · walk 31
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Interbay or University District?
University District is the lower ACS median: $2,193 vs $1,781. About 90% rent in University District vs 71% in Interbay. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Interbay more walkable than University District?
University District wins the errand count (walk 10 vs 31). Groceries inside 800 meters: 7 vs 18. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Interbay or University District?
Interbay is the calmer Part I read (68 vs 37). Combined rate 29.7 vs 51.5 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Interbay or University District?
University District leads the school axis (48 vs 42). Nearby rating is 7.0 / 10 vs 6.8 / 10. Median age 23 vs 34.7. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
14 minutes from Interbay to Downtown, 18 from University District. Interbay is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official district that is not Interbay or University District: Queen Anne. The hill looks at downtown; Lower Queen Anne eats after the game. Counterbalance and a grocery you can walk to if you picked the right side of the ridge.
Scores are relative among official Seattle Neighborhood Map Atlas districts with the same editorial weights. Read the method.